A Year in the Life of a Colonial Land

Connecticut: The Court of Oyer and Terminer meets in Stamford. The session begins with the court making another proclamation that anyone who has evidence to bring against Mary Staples, Mary Harvey or Hannah Harvey in connection with accusations of witchcraft against them should come to the court to testify. The proclamation of the previous day has not yet resulted in anyone appearing.

Once that is out of the way, the trial of Elizabeth Clawson and Mercy Disborough continues. Prosecutor James Bennett continues the presentation of his case with the testimony of more witnesses, who testify orally. This is in addition to the depositions presented before, and consists of much of the same sort of testimony: stories about Katharine Branch’s fits and accusations placing the blame for them on Clawson and Disborough, among others, and accounts of previous incidents involving suspicious behavior on the part of the defendants.

Massachusetts: The Court of Oyer and Terminer meets in Salem Town. The grand jury considers the case of Mary Parker. The evidence against her consists entirely on the statements of afflicted persons and the confessors William Barker Jr. and Mercy Wardwell, who named her in their confessions, but the grand jury finds it convincing nonetheless and indicts her. Her trial follows immediately afterward and involves the same evidence, which the trial jury uses to convict her.

New Mexico: Around 4:00 pm the young man whom Governor Vargas sent out from Pecos Pueblo the previous day to deliver a message to the people of the pueblo returns with just one other man. The messenger, who says his name is Juan Pedro, reports that he was unable to find any other people, as they have gone off in all different directions. The other man, who says his name is Agustín Sebastián, says the same thing. Vargas orders them detained with the other prisoners while he decides what to do.

Soon afterward, Domingo, the Tewa leader who has been a firm ally to Vargas, arrives at Pecos and reports to Vargas that he and some of his people went out into the mountains to look for the people of Pecos and assure them that they could safely return to the pueblo. They were only able to find three people, way up in the mountains, and were unsuccessful in their attempts to persuade them to return, getting only abuse and defiance in response to their entreaties. The people said they wanted neither peace nor friendship with the Spanish and the Tewas, and that they would go to Taos or to the Apaches rather than return to Pecos.

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[…] up arches and crosses in accordance with the message he sent to their leader, Antonio Malacate, on September 26. Most of the people, including Malacate, come out to welcome him. Vargas greets them warmly and […]